Iceland

In about 325 BCE, Pytheas of Missalia conducted one of the first great voyages of discovery when he sets out into the land of the Celts to find the legendary island of Britain. In the process, he would circumnavigate the island – and even (according to some) – discover Iceland.

Below is a map showing the route of Pytheas on his journey. This does not show the overland route – which would have bypassed the Pillars of Hercules. It also shows some speculative routes to Iceland and into the Baltic Sea. The map may not be perfect, but it gives a decent look at Pytheas’ probably travel route.

Resources

While there is not a lot of information about Pytheas available, here’s a list of a few of the better resources that I found.

The father and son team of Erik the Red and Leif Erikson represent the most famous Viking explorers. Erik would found the Greenland colony in the 980s, while Leif would become the first European to set foot on the North American continent – as well as establish a settlement.